Yorkville Enquirer

HISTORY OF SOUTH CAROLINA.

Written for the Yorkville Enquirer

THE BATTLE OF KING'S MOUNTAIN

BY REV. ROBERT LATHAN.

"O, heaven!" they said. "Our bleeding country save!
Is there no hand on high to shield the brave?
What though destruction sweep these lovely plains!
Rise fellow men! Our country yet remains;
And wear for her to live; for her to die."
By that dread name we wave the sword on high,

CAMPBELL'S PLEASURE OR HOPE

The year seventeen hundred and eighty was the darkest period in the Revolutionary struggle. From the mountains to the sea-board, a gloom rested upon the whole country. For five years the colonies, against fearful odds, had been battling for freedom. The country was overrun, its treasury was empty, and its soldiers were hungry and naked. From the hills of Massachusetts to the savannas of Georgia, a darkness that could be both seen and felt, enveloped the land.

This was especially the case in South Carolina and Georgia. From the repulse of Sir Peter Parker, on the 28th of June, 1776, until the autumn of 1779, South Carolina, although in open and determined rebellion against the mother country, enjoyed comparative peace. Supplies of arms and munitions of war, together with food and clothing for the army, were landed by different nations of Europe, at Charleston. From this point, these things, together with rice and other products of the fields of South Carolina, were transported, by wagon trains, as far North as New Jersey. During this period, South Carolina grew and flourished, notwithstanding the existence of war.

In the autumn of 1778, the scene began to change. Col. Campbell was sent from New York, by Sir Henry Clinton, to reduce Savannah, the capital of Georgia. On the 29th of December, General Howe was forced to capitulate. Georgia fell into the hands of the enemy, and South Carolina now became a border State, exposed to the active military operations of the enemy. A bloody struggle was made near a year afterward for the recovery of Savannah, but it proved unsuccessful. It soon became evident that the British were determined to capture Charleston. Provost, in May, 1779, had attempted to take the city by siege, but his plans were frustrated by the adroitness of Governor Rutledge and the military prowess of General Moultrie.

On the 26th of December, 1779, Sir Henry Clinton, with the larger part of his army, sailed from New York for the South. In January of the following year, he landed on the coast of Georgia. He had but one object in view, and that was the crushing of the rebellion in all the Southern colonies. His purpose was to begin at the southern extremity and go northward, leaving the country in his rear in complete and absolute, if not willing, submission to the British government.

The first thing to be done to effect his purpose, was the reduction of Charleston. On the 10th of February, he set out from Savannah to accomplish the cherished purpose of his heart. He was successful. Whether all was done that could have been done to save the city, or not, we will not here inquire. Perhaps it would have been wise, under the existing circumstances, not to have attempted its defense. The attempt, however, was made. Sir Henry Clinton commenced and carried on the siege with as much respect to the rules of military science, as if he had been conducting the siege of an old walled town. Reduced almost to starvation, and illy provided for every way to stand a siege, the defenders of the city, after a close siege of nearly eight weeks, capitulated on the 12th of May, 1780. The terms of the surrender were hard, and the conduct of the British commander afterward was calculated to cast a gloom over the patriots. The civil government of Britain was established in the city and plans were laid for establishing it over the whole State. Everything was done that could be done, to encourage the tories and loyalists and dishearten the patriots.

Early in June, Clinton and the fleet sailed for New York, leaving Lord Cornwallis to complete the establishing of civil government in the State. He commenced his march northward. Parties were sent out in all directions to disperse the patriots and gather up the tories and loyalists with which to swell his ranks. This was not enough. He determined to force those who, from the results of war, were resting quietly, to take up arms against their friends and against the cause which they loved. Lord Cornwallis soon found that the country still remained, and there were many who had sworn for it to live and for it to die.

In the State, at this time, there was not a regularly organized army. There were small parties of men, in almost every section of the State, who disputed every inch of ground with Cornwallis. Still he pushed on. Tories and loyalists flocked to his standard, and many who, heretofore, had been regarded as good Whigs, sought British protection. The country was full of tories and British. Property was destroyed, old men and children were abused and cursed, and women insulted. Many, in despondency, gave up the cause as hopeless. Calamity after calamity fell upon the afflicted country. On the 16th of August General Gates, the hero of Saratoga, was defeated and his army routed near Camden. Two days after, the brave Sumter was surprised at Fishing Creek, by Tarleton, and his command scattered.

Such was the general condition of things in this State and in Georgia, that many brave men had hid themselves beyond the mountains, that, like Alfred of old, they might emerge from these mountain fastnesses and rout the invading foe. These voluntary exiles received a welcome from the patriots of Watauga and Nolichucky. There they met Isaac Shelby and John Sevier. Amongst those refugees was Colonel Clarke, of Georgia, with about one hundred of his overpowered, but not subdued men. These refugees told the tale of sufferings which they had seen in the States of Georgia and South Carolina. Their story aroused the patriotism and stirred the spirits of the hardy pioneers of the forest.

After the defeat of Gates at Camden, Cornwallis, as had been done by his predecessor, Clinton, proceeded at once to establish a civil government in the upper section of the State. Tarleton and Ferguson were ordered to scour the State. The object was to beat up the tories and loyalists and disperse the Whigs. Ferguson had been in the Ninety-Six District for some time, and portions of his command had been, on several occasions, badly cut up by the Whigs. Patrick Ferguson was a Major in the British army, and a Brigadier General of the Royal Militia of South Carolina. The second officer in his command was Captain DePeyster, a loyalist. The Whig colonels, McDowell, Sevier, Shelby, Williams and Clarke, were known to frequent this region of the State. The fact that parties of Ferguson's men had, at Musgrove's Mill, at Cedar Spring, and other places, been attacked and routed by the bold partisans, greatly incensed the British officer. Meetings of the tories and loyalists were held throughout the Ninety-Six District. Those who claimed to be tories or loyalists, were threatened with severe punishment if they did not take up arms and assist his Majesty's troops in putting down the rebellion. Ferguson now found that the rebellion, which Clinton and his successor, Cornwallis, thought was crushed out was stalking over the land like a giant. Whigs, tories and loyalists, discovered that each party was in earnest, and a desperate effort must be made, or all would be lost.

On the 18th of August—the day on which Sumter was surprised by Tarleton at Fishing Creek—Col. McDowell was encamped at Smith's Ford on Broad river. He had learned that a party of tories, near five hundred in number, were encamped at Musgrove's mill, on the south side of Enoree river. Colonels Williams, Shelby and Clarke, were detached for the purpose of surprising them. It was a dangerous undertaking, for Ferguson was encamped, with his whole force, midway between McDowell and the tories. At sun set, the party set out, and by taking a right hand road, passed Ferguson's camp in safety. The tories were commanded by Col. Innis and Major Frazer. Shelby, Williams and Clarke, arrived at the tory camp just at day-light. The attack was made, and although the tories had been reinforced by six hundred regulars under Innis, a complete victory was gained.

Flushed with victory, the conquerors determined to make an attack upon Ninety-Six. Just at this moment a courier arrived, bringing the sad news that General Gates had been defeated on the 16th at Camden. They were urged by McDowell to make no delay, lest they should be captured by Ferguson. They had more than two hundred prisoners. The men were tired, and so were their horses. The prisoners were divided out amongst the men, giving every three men two prisoners. After they were completely out of the reach of Ferguson, Shelby went home, leaving Clarke and Williams in charge of the prisoners. They were taken to Hillsborough, North Carolina. Governor Rutledge, of South Carolina, who, at this time, was in Hillsborough, seeing Williams in charge of so many prisoners and supposing that he was the principal actor in the affair, immediately gave him a Brigadier General's commission as a reward for his brave and heroic exploit.

McDowell, so soon as he heard that Gates was defeated, broke up his camp at Smith's Ford and set out for the mountains. His command was scattered. Some of his men went home, whilst others accompanied their commander beyond the mountains. Ferguson was left in full possession of the field. The Whigs were plundered of their property and driven from their homes. Many of them were forced to hide out in unfrequented spots, whilst not a few were caught and cruelly murdered. The brave but cruel British officer pushed his way as far as Gilbert Town, near the present site of Rutherfordton, in North Carolina. South Carolina was now under the paw of the British lion. Some crouched and begged for quarters; but there were a few noble spirits—enough to save the country—who had sworn for their country to live, and for her to die.

Ferguson was not ignorant of this fact. He knew the history of those men who were beyond the mountains. He knew that their ancestors, for more than two hundred years, had been fighting for liberty, and he saw that the wilds of America had strengthened the love of liberty in their children. He knew that they were Scotch-Irish and Huguenots, by descent. He knew that they could be crushed into the earth, that they could be torn limb from limb, that they could be buried beneath the earth; but he feared their very dust.

He had his spies in the mountain country, and from them he had learned what was going on in the valleys of Nolichucky and Watauga. These spies often brought him the startling news that their fellows were caught and hanged, while others were tarred and suffered to return to their champion leader. Ferguson raged. He cursed the rebels for their daring, and he cursed the tories and loyalists for their want of courage.

Whilst Colonel Ferguson lay at Gilbert Town, he paroled Samuel Phillips, a patriot whom he held as a prisoner, and sent him with a threatening message to the back mountain men. The purport of this message was that if these patriots in Watauga and Nolichucky did not lay down their arms and return to obedience to the King of England, he would come over the mountain and hang the whole of them. This was not a mere boast. He contemplated doing what he said. Ferguson was no idle boaster. No sooner had Samuel Phillips delivered his message, than the horrors of past generations loomed up before the eyes of the patriots of Watauga and Nolichucky. The blood of John Sevier and Isaac Shelby was stirred. Sevier was eloquent under the impulse of a holy resentment, and the brow of Shelby was knit with indignation and his whole countenance indicated stern defiance. These noble men at once concluded that they would thwart Ferguson in his bloody purposes, and if there was any hanging to be done they would do it.

The plan for raising a sufficient number of men to accomplish their purpose was soon devised. To Sevier was assigned the duty of communicating with McDowell and the other officers who were then in voluntary exile beyond the mountains. Shelby assumed as his part of the work the writing of a letter to Col. William Campbell, of Washington county, Virginia. The letter was written. The threat of Ferguson was stated, and the plan for his destruction revealed. In this letter Campbell was earnestly requested to co-operate. This letter was placed in the hands of Moses Shelby, a brother of Isaac, and duly delivered. Col. Campbell declined to render his assistance, stating that his intentions were to assist in preventing Cornwallis from reaching Virginia. This message was returned by Moses Shelby. Colonel Shelby immediately wrote another letter to Colonel Campbell, in which he urged him, more strongly, to lend his assistance. Although Campbell was as firm and unyielding as the mountains, still he was not blind to reason or deaf to the calls of duty. He sent Shelby word that he would come and bring his whole command. This was more than was expected. The place of general rendezvous was Sycamore Shoals on the Watauga; the time the twenty-fifth of September.

At the appointed time, the entire inhabitants of the back mountain region assembled at Sycamore Shoals, and Campbell, with his Virginians, was there. Everybody was in earnest. There were no gay uniforms; no costly plumes; no long trains of baggage wagons; no ambulances; no surgeon; no chaplain. Officers and men were clad in suits made by their wives, mothers and sisters, and each man intended for the expedition was armed with a faithful Deckhard rifle.

All assembled; but all dare not leave the settlement. The Cherokee Indians were on the borders watching an opportunity to descend with the torch and tomahawk upon the neighborhood. On the morning of the 26th of September, preparations were made for the advance. To victory or to death, was the feeling of every breast. They were rough men externally, but they had brave and tender hearts. Charles McDowell moved amongst the multitude with all the grace and ease of nobility. John Sevier was full of impulse and an energy which never tired. Isaac Shelby had little to say. His knit brow meant speedy action. William Campbell showed, by his stern dignity, that he was born to be free. The officers proposed, before they set out, that the whole company be called together and the divine blessing be asked. A prayer, solemn and appropriate, being offered up, the party designed for the expedition mounted their horses, and the rest returned to their homes. With anxious hearts did these wait until the result was heard.

The troops left Sycamore Shoals on the twenty-sixth. They were all mounted and unencumbered by baggage of any kind whatever. They expected to support themselves, on the way, by their rifles, or by forcing the tories to feed them and their horses. The force consisted of one thousand and forty men, as follows: From Burke and Rutherford counties, North Carolina, Col. McDowell, 160 men. From Washington county, North Carolina, (now Tennessee) Col. John Sevier, 240 men. From Sullivan county, North Carolina, (now Tennessee) Col. Isaac Shelby, 240 men. From Washington county, Virginia, Col. William Campbell, 400 men.

The Sycamore Shoals is near the head of the Watauga. From this point, they pursued nearly an eastern direction, across the Yellow mountain; afterward it was nearly south. The first night they spent at Matthew Tolbert's mill. The second day, two of their men deserted and went ahead to the enemy. On the 30th of September they reached the foot of the mountain on the east side. Here they were joined by three hundred and fifty men from Wilkes and Surry counties, under the command of Colonel Benjamin Cleveland and Major Joseph Winston. Cleveland and Winston were keeping themselves concealed that they might join in with any party going against the enemy. The first of October—the second day after the junction with Cleveland—was so wet that it was thought advisable not to move. Ferguson was thought to be at Gilbert Town, and as the guns in those days were all flint and steel locks, it was dangerous to approach an enemy with wet guns.

Up to this time there was no commanding officer. Shelby perceived that there was a great defect in their organization, and, during the rain, called a council of the officers. They were now in Col. Charles McDowell's region, and advancing against an enemy with which he had lately been contending. He was, moreover, the senior officer, and it was natural that he would be expected to take the command of the whole. No one doubted Charles McDowell's patriotism or bravery; but it was thought that he was not the man to command a partisan corps on an enterprise like that in which they were at that time engaged. Shelby proposed William Campbell as commander in chief for the present, and that a messenger be sent to headquarters, wherever that might be, for a commanding officer, who should take charge of the whole corps. This proposition was readily assented to by all, and Col. Charles McDowell volunteered to go to headquarters after a general officer, and his brother, Joseph McDowell, took command of his men until he would return.

Here, for a time, let us leave these patriotic mountain men, until we can bring up the other forces who were prominent actors in the battle of King's Mountain. After Sumter's defeat at Fishing Creek, on the 18th of August, he and Colonel Edward Lacy, with a small portion of Sumter's command, passed over into Mecklenburg, North Carolina. They camped on Clem's Branch. Lacy was sent by Sumter into York and Chester counties, to gather up the Irish of that region, who were known to be true Whigs, and also to collect all that he could of Sumter's army that was scattered at Fishing Creek.

(To be Continued.)